Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Decline Push-Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The decline push-up is a bodyweight exercise that targets the pectoral muscles by elevating the feet, increasing the difficulty compared to a standard push-up. It also engages the triceps and shoulders as secondary muscles.

Primary muscles
Chest
Secondary muscles
Triceps , Shoulders
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the decline push-up
Front view: muscles worked by the decline push-up. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the decline push-up. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the decline push-up

  1. Step 1: Place your hands on the ground slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your feet elevated on a stable surface.
  2. Step 2: Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe, engaging your core muscles.
  3. Step 3: Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your body.
  4. Step 4: Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the decline push-up by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Decline Push-Up alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

More chest exercises

See the best chest exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.